In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

See Avici.

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Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Mahāniraya (महानिरय) refers to the “great hell”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 21).—Accordingly, “If the immoral man takes the monastic robes, these are like burning brass for him, like an iron ring around his body; his alms bowl is like a jar filled with melted copper; when he takes his food, it is as if he were swallowing balls of burning iron or drinking boiling brass; the people paying homage to him with their offerings are like the guardians of hell watching over him; when he enters the monastery, it is as though he were entering the great hell (mahāniraya); when he sits on the monastic benches, it is as if he were taking his place on a bed of burning iron”.

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Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

mahāniraya : (m.) the great hell.

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Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Mahāniraya (महानिरय):—[=mahā-niraya] [from mahā > mah] m. Name of a hell, [Yājñavalkya]

[Sanskrit to German]

Mahaniraya in German

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Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Maha, Niraya.

Full-text: Sunakha, Angarapabbata, Papada, Tapana, Dusi, Patikaputta, Vetarani, Maratajjaniya Sutta, Niraya, Avici, Devaduta Sutta, Pratyeka, Ajita.

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Search found 2 books and stories containing Mahaniraya, Mahāniraya, Maha-niraya, Mahā-niraya; (plurals include: Mahanirayas, Mahānirayas, nirayas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)

Part 4 - Disadvantages of immorality < [Chapter XXI - Discipline or Morality]

Part 2 - Punishments for prohibited sexual activity < [Section I.3 - Abstention from illicit love]

The eight great hells < [The world of transmigration]

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The Garuda Purana (abridged) (by Ernest Wood)

Chapter III - An Account of the Torments of Yama

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